Forum Flash | He speaks, sort of

Clarence Thomas

After nearly seven years of silence at the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas finally spoke.

Trouble is, no one seems to know what he said.

Mr. Thomas has become famous for his total silence during Supreme Court hearings where other justices pepper lawyers with questions, talk and joke with each other and generally interrupt and carry on. Off the bench, he has offered various explanations for his reticence including the notion the other justices talk too much.

"We look like Family Feud," he once told a bar meeting, according to The New York Times.

On Jan. 14, however, Mr. Thomas broke his silence during a lively argument over whether a lawyer was qualified to handle a death penalty case. Unfortunately, with all the chatter going on, the official transcript only reflects a fragment of his comment.

"Well, he did not . . ." is all it shows. Some believe it may have been a joke, possibly at the expense of Yale Law School, Mr. Thomas' alma mater.

"It appeared lighthearted," one lawyer told the Times. So the comment remains a mystery.

Maybe the public will hear from Mr. Thomas again before another seven years passes.

Louisville, Kentucky • Southern Indiana

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Forum Flash | He speaks, sort of

After nearly seven years of silence at the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas finally spoke. Trouble is, no one seems to know what he said.